Diesel soot burning device

ABSTRACT

A hot resistance wire is used to react with the water vapor and soot produced in the diesel engine forming carbon monoxide and hydrogen gas. These are further oxidized or burned with oxygen from air to form carbon dioxide and water vapor. In this manner the soot is eliminated.

[0001] (Continuation in Part-application Ser. No. 09/825,393-File No.Apr. 3, 2001)

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

[0002] This invention pertains to reduction of diesel soot emission. TheU.S. Supreme Court ruled in the year 2000 that the diesel soot emissionbe reduced in spite of the economic impact on operators of diesel trucksand buses. The soot particles in the atmosphere are believed linked tothe development of cancer particularly in those children that ride thediesel powered buses in the Los Angeles area.

[0003] The Environmental Protection Agency of the government has raisedthe standards as to how much of the soot pollutants would be allowed.

[0004] It would, therefore, be beneficial to the population in thiscountry if the diesel soot can be reduced or eliminated entirely. Thisis important because the trucks and buses play a significant role intransportation.

[0005] School buses used to transport children to school in Los Angelesarea has been found to cause allergy in children. Furthermore,researchers linked the inhalation of soot to cancer resulting inincreased cancer cases of between 23 to 46 per million. The city istrying to encourage diesel powered buses to use purified crude oil orcompressed natural gas with less pollutant substances but this increasesthe cost of the bus by as much as $5,000.

BACKGROUND AND DESCRIPTION

[0006] The diesel engine was invented in the 19^(th) century. It usesthe cheaper grade of fuel—the crude oil, although most any kind of oilcan be used as fuel—such as vegetable oil discarded by restaurants,castor oil or coconut oil. The crude oil is obtained after distillingthe lighter fraction of gasoline from petroleum. Because the crude oilis practically non-volatile, it does not need a spark to ignite it as isdone in the internal combustion engine.

[0007] The air is compressed in the cylinder and the crude oil issprayed into the cylinder. As the cylinder compresses the air and fuelthe high pressure causes the crude oil to burn. The products ofcombustion are carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, some sulfur dioxide,water vapor and the unburned carbon known as soot. These products ofcombustion are sometimes called pollutants.

[0008] For example, carbon dioxide is known to create the greenhouseeffect in which the solar energy cannot penetrate this layer and thuswill cause warming of the earth.

[0009] The nitrogen dioxide along with nitric oxide (NO) comes from theoxidation of nitrogen gas in air. The mixture is usually called NO_(x).

[0010] The sulfur dioxide comes from the presence of sulfur introduced.This is called supercharging.

[0011] The Water Gas Reaction

[0012] The emission of soot indicates that there is incompletecombustion of the fuel. When the crude oil contains unsaturatedhydrocarbons, soot formation occurs. The concentration of soot in theexhaust gases of the diesel engine can be reduced by applying the watergas reaction as shown below.

[0013] It is seen that the water gas reaction between the soot (carbon)and water vapor occurs at high temperatures, above 900° F. to formcarbon monoxide and hydrogen. Both carbon monoxide and hydrogen ar everyflammable and reactive gases.

[0014] When carbon monoxide reacts with oxygen in air, it immediatelyforms carbon dioxide. Carbon monoxide is toxic while carbon dioxide isnot.

[0015] Hydrogen is also flammable gas and reacts with oxygen in air toform water vapor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0016] We can see, therefore, that the water gas reaction at hightemperatures can reduce the concentration of soot emitted from thediesel engine.

[0017] The temperature of the soot that is emitted from the dieselengine is not really that hot to produce the water gas reaction.

EXAMPLE 1

[0018] This invention is based on the discovery of a method of usingnichrome wire or any high resistance wire connected to an electricalsource so that the wire gets hot or red hot in order for the water gasreaction to occur. This reaction will only occur if the soot sticks oraccumulates on the surface of the resistance wire or nichrome wire. SeeFIG. 1. The nichrome wire is placed inside a compartment (1) which isconnected to the manifold (2) (the tube that is connected to themuffler). A limited amount of air is allowed to enter (1) by means of ascrew that regulates the air flow (3). Air enters (1) if the velocity ofthe gas from the manifold is high. This is sometimes called the venturieffect. When the opening of 3 is large the venturi effect disappears.

[0019] Inside (1) is the coiled nichrome wire (2), which is held inplace by threading through slots (5) of a ceramic holder (4). See FIG.2. After the wire is threaded in bottom slots it is threaded to the topslots. The nichrome wire in the top slots are threaded perpendicular tothe bottom slots. In this manner maximum accumulation of soot on thesurface of the nichrome wire is attained. The nichrome wire in the slotsand the ceramic holder are sealed with a high temperature cent. dThe endof the nichrome wire in the top half is inserted into a ceramicinsulator (7) and connected to the positive side (8) iof the battery.The other end (9) of the nichrome wire on the bottom half is spot weldedto (1) the case of the burner which is also the negative side of thebattery (8). The outer end of this device is connected to a tube (10)leading to the muffler.

[0020] The reaction of moisture and the soot (carbon) is endothermic,the hot nichrome wire will produce the carbon monoxide and hydrogenknown as water gas reaction. The carbon monoxide and hydrogen combineswith oxygen in air will immediately produce carbon dioxide and watervapor, respectively which are stable and non-toxic. This reaction isexothermic and will no longer need the heat from the nichrome wire.

[0021] A carbon monoxide detector (11) placed above the muffler whichwill immediately indicate the presence of carbon monoxide and that meansnot enough air has been allowed to enter 1. The air regulator is nowincreased by loosening the screw until the carbon monoxide will nolonger detect any carbon monoxide. This also indicates that the soot iscompletely burned.

[0022] To give the driver a warning that no more carbon monoxide isproduced, the positive side of the nichrome wire resistor is connectedto an LED (light emitting diode) (12) and installed in the dashboard sothat the driver will know that his diesel no longer emits soot and thesystem is working.

[0023] The external source of electric current can be obtained eitherfrom the battery of the diesel engine or from a separate source ofbattery. It is preferable to use the diesel engine's battery after theengine has been running and the battery is being charged by thealternator. In this manner, the battery will not be dischargedcompletely,

[0024] This method of reducing or eliminating the diesel soot iseconomical and can be readily incorporated in the diesel motor becausethe reaction is readily attained in the muffler.

[0025] The modification of the diesel engine requires very little cost.

What is claimed are:
 1. A source of heat from a resistance wire for theexhaust gases of a diesel engine is provided in order for the soot andwater vapor to react.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the water vaporproduced in the diesel engine is used to react with the soot.
 3. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the electrical source of power to heat theresistance wire is provided by the battery of the diesel engine.
 4. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the electrical source of power to heat theresistance wire is provided by an auxiliary battery with accompanyingbattery charger.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein oxygen from the airis introduced in regulated amounts to react with the soot thataccumulates on the surface of the heated wire.